GWPride spent last week combating homophobia and teaching students about gay and lesbian issues by hosting a transgender speaker, activism sessions, a preview of a local play and movie screenings during their annual Out and About Week.
St. Thomas Parish, a church in Dupont Circle, hosted a preview of I Want to Tell You, a play that addresses issues of homosexuality in high school, to conclude the week’s events Friday. The new musical designed to promote tolerance in high schools, will travel to high schools around D.C.
“The goal of Out and About Week was to promote awareness and tolerance, and I think we did that,” said Brent Stansell, GWPride administrative chair.
The week began with a Monday social allowing students to meet members of GWPride and mingle with homosexual students. The organization also set up a table in front of the Marvin Center to inform students about the group, Stansell said.
Transgender author and artist Daphne Scholinski spoke to a full Marvin Center Ampitheatre Tuesday. Scholinski read passages from her critically acclaimed book, The Last Time I Wore A Dress and showed slides of her artwork.
“(Scholinski’s) overall message of love and respect is important,” sophomore Ashley Crawford said at the event.
The group hosted Gay Activism 101 in Kogan Plaza Wednesday to allow local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups to provide information about their organizations and raise general awareness.
GWPride showed two screenings of But I’m A Cheerleader, a movie about homosexuality in high school, in the Marvin Center Ballroom Thursday. Both screenings attracted crowds to watch RuPaul and Natasha Lyonne in the film, which was co-sponsored by the Program Board.
Stansell said this year’s Out and About Week was a success.
“People saw something new, thought a couple new thoughts they’re not used to,” he said. “It gives people a chance to see things and do things they wouldn’t normally do.”
Out and About Week is an important effort to garner attention during one week of the year, Stansell said, but “we should be thinking about this all the time, all year round,” he said.
Geoff Bieger, GWPride executive co-chair, said the week aimed to highlight the diversity of GW.
“Our main purpose is to increase (gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender) awareness on campus,” he said. “We have queer students and we need to keep an atmosphere of diversity and tolerance.”
